WHAT IS A PEACE DOJO?

The International Peace Dojo designation is conferred jointly by Aiki Extensions (AE) and
Urban Visions, Inc. Two News Releases from Urban Visions, Inc.
(urbanvisionsinc.org) explain the genesis of the idea. (In these releases, the abbreviation "Ss."
means "Sensei" - the honorific title for a teacher in the martial arts - literally, "one who has gone before," or "one who leads the way.")

"A Peace Dojo engages in rigorous and deliberate training practices to develop the capacity for skillful, healing action and the
courage of heart needed to face the fear and violence in oneself and in the world."

Dr. Don Levine Ss (President, Aiki Extensions) met with Mr. Samer Mouallem (Play for Peace and Budo for Peace) and Bill Leicht
in Chicago to pursue an international collaborative of peace dojos.

This stage of Peace Dojos Intl. will identify a group of respected martial artists of various traditions from around the world who will design a collaboration which can

Enhance their approaches through networking and research,

Provide resources and training to establish new Peace Dojos, especially in regions of conflict,

Demonstrate and present their methods to national and international leadership,

Raise funds to support research. conferences, training and new Peace Dojos.

On January 26, 2009, the AE Executive Board selected Bill Leicht as Interim President of Aiki Extensions. At the same meeting,
the AE Board accepted the definition of an International Peace Dojo, and designated Still Point Aikido as the first officially-designated
International Peace Dojo in the state of Texas.